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Chuck Westfall's take on Focus and focus tracking with 1D series including 1DIII

Asher Kelman

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Once again, Arthur Morris of BirdsAsArt.com has provided a great set of information on the 1DIII.

So I'm taking the liberty of reformatting the information without changing a word! (except AFSP to AFPS to have the abbreviation matching its use as reported by Artie)

CHUCK WESTFALL’S AF COMMENTS

Chuck Westfall is one of Canon’s top tech reps. Below are a selection of his comments that might prove helpful to many of you.

There are several ways to select focusing points on the 1D Mark III:

A. Manual Selection

  1. Manual selection of a single focusing point.

  2. Manual selection of single focusing point, with C.Fn III-8-1 (selected point plus 1 point on either side when possible, for a total of up to 3 active points).

  3. Manual selection of single focusing point with C.Fn III-8-2 engaged (selected point plus 1 point in all available directions, for up to 7 active points).

  4. When the focusing point is manually selected, the 1D Mark III can be set up to allow selection of
    [*]9 inner points plus center point,

    [*]9 outer points plus center point, or

    [*]18 points plus center point.
    ​

B. Automatic focusing point selection mode (AFPS), camera selects focusing point automatically.)

The information below is accurate for all Canon 1D class cameras (including the EOS 1D MII).

Automatic Focusing Point Selection:

  1. The camera selects a focusing point for you, choosing from all 45 points. AFPS behavior varies according to your choice of focusing modes:

  2. When One-Shot AF is combined with AFPS, the camera typically selects the closest subject with readable contrast. Since the subject may be large enough to cover several focusing points simultaneously, the viewfinder’s focusing point display may illuminate as many as 13 points simultaneously.

  3. If focus cannot be achieved, the in-focus indicator below the picture area blinks.

  4. When AI Servo AF is combined with AFPS, the camera shuts off all focusing points except the central one until the subject has been identified. (Important note: my ignorance of the preceding statement may explain some or all of the problems that I have had with 45-point AF over the years… I just asked Robert O’Toole if he consciously acquired focus with the central sensor when using 45-point and he said, “Of course; that’s how you have to do it otherwise it won’t work.” Duh…)

  5. Once the camera has started to track the subject with the center point, all 45 points are activated and the camera is able to track movement not only towards or away from the camera, but anywhere the subject moves within the 45-point coverage area.

Thanks Chuck, and Artie for sharing this valuable information. This alone is a good start to either getting things right or else to get it totally screwed up!

Asher
 
J

Jack Joseph Jr

New member
Oh, come on Canon! If we get any more lipstick on this Mark III pig we won't be able to see the pig anymore. Of note here is that if it takes so much effort just to explain how to make a camera perform basic focus tasks then there is probably something wrong with either the design and/or the construction of the camera itself.

Since the fix has not yet been announced and since Canon (except for Chuck's always greatly appreciated efforts) doesn't really communicate with its customers know one knows what is wrong with some of the Mark III bodies.

I chuckle now when I read Arthur's bulletins. Certainly taking nothing away from the fact that he is an excellent, artistic photographer his latest bulletins crack me up. First Arthur, like Rob Galbraith before him, noticed and wrote that the Mark III has focus issues.

Then, as one of Canon's photographers, he was suddenly falling all over himself about what a great camera it is. Now every one of the small images in his bulletin that was shot by a Mark III has "EOS-1D Mark III" marked with his digital bright yellow high-lighter just to make sure we know what camera it took to produce that great looking VGA-sized 4x6 JPG. Did he get a phone call from The Man?

One image on his latest emailing that was taken by a 1D2N wasn't highlighted; God forbid anyone should be aware of that out-dated piece of junk (that people are scrambling around trying to find as an alternative to a Mark III)!

That Canon's premier PJ/Sports camera was sent to the market with a technical issue is one thing. It's the posturing and BS in a weak attempt to explain away the problem that I find insulting as a Canon user. If it can't focus right out of the box it's junk, period.

On a happier note a family member took delivery of a 40D a week or so ago. I fiddled around with it for a while and it appears to be a flawless, well-crafted and perfectly functioning camera with an IQ puts my 1D2N to shame. I really enjoyed shooting it. No that's the Canon I know.
 
Asher Kelman

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Jack,'

It's nice to here your gentle appraisal of the job Canon has performed!

I'm interested in the 40D and how it impresses you. In what way does it do better than the 1DIIN besides the extra 2BITS and the live video, which I'm told is great.

Asher
 
J

Jack Joseph Jr

New member
Asher Kelman said:
Jack,'

It's nice to here your gentle appraisal of the job Canon has performed!

I'm interested in the 40D and how it impresses you. In what way does it do better than the 1DIIN besides the extra 2BITS and the live video, which I'm told is great.

Asher
Click to expand...

I was impressed by the 40D's finer shadow detail and highlight recovery. When I shoot daytime field sports with my 1D2N I wonder how much better white uniforms in the sun would look with highlight recovery.

Since I haven't used a 40D for sports shooting so I don't want to speculate as to how good a sports camera it is compared to an N. The picture IQ vs actual use might be similar to my 1D2N/5D experience. Shooting night football the 5D's images are sharper, less noisy and just plain better looking than those of the 1D2N but because of the slow frame rate and primative focus system the 5D is virtually useless as a serious sports camera.

It does seem like the 40D is a clearly better camera than a 20D/30D. The owner of the 40D that I tried usually shoots a 5D which he says is the best SLR that he has owned (Rebel, 10D, 20D, 30D, 40D, 5D, 1D2). He says that the 40D has a better focus system and an image IQ very close to his 5D.
 
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